Patriots journal: Faulk is delighted to be back

Sunday

Jul 31, 2011 at 7:03 AM

FOXBORO — There has been a lot of change around the Patriots in the last few days, but the team was happy Saturday to add one player who brings some stability. Kevin Faulk, a 12-year-veteran, which makes him the longest tenured member of the team, re

By PAUL KENYON JOurnal Sports Writer

FOXBORO - There has been a lot of change around the Patriots inthe last few days, but the team was happy Saturday to add oneplayer who brings some stability. Kevin Faulk, a 12-year-veteran,which makes him the longest tenured member of the team,returned.

Faulk had been an unrestricted free agent. He suffered a tornACL against the Jets last September in the second game of the yearand missed the rest of the season. At age 34, there was somequestion whether the running back would be able to come back. Onetelephone call just before the lockout began convinced him he hadto try.

"Before the lockout started, Bill (Belichick) called me," Faulkrelated. "He told me, 'I want you on my team in 2011.' That wasmotivation enough for me to go out and rehab my butt off."

There is no guarantee Faulk will make the team. The Pats draftedtwo running backs, Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen. And they haveDanny Woodhead, who took over Faulk's role last season and handledit well.

"It didn't faze me," Faulk said of the addition of the backs,"because that's what this team does. They build championship teams.Whatever they have to do, they're going to do. I'm a competitor.That's why I play this game. I want to compete with what we callthe best in the NFL.

"Credit to Danny for what he did for his football team lastyear. He did a wonderful job," Faulk said.

Still, Saturday alone made it worth all the work he did to getback to being football-ready.

"Being able to walk in the building this morning and see some ofthe guys, having them telling me how much they missed me, how itwas good to see me in the building, it made me feel good as afootball player and as a person," Faulk said.

Faulk did much of his rehab work at LSU, his alma mater. One ofthe guys he worked with was Ridley, who also is an LSU product, butmore of a power back.

The Pats also re-signed running back Sammy Morris, defensiveback Brandon McGowan and linebacker Tracy White, and received asigned franchise tender from Logan Mankins, a reported $10.1million for one year. Cornerback Kyle Arrington, who had been arestricted free agent, signed a two-year deal and the team signedfree agent Steve Williams, who played in Canada last year but whospent some time with the Pats two years ago.

Linebacker Anthony Leonard was released.

Under the rules, all those players cannot begin practicing untilAug. 4 because they are veterans who signed new contracts.BenJarvus Green-Ellis, a restricted free agent, is in the samecategory.

The Pats held their first practice in full pads Saturdaymorning. Among noteworthy developments, Mark LeVoir spent time attackle with the first unit. A tackle spot is open with Solder notyet signed and Matt Light still on the free agent market.

Wear it well

Aaron Hernandez gave up his uniform, number 85, without askinganything in return from Chad Ochocinco.

"Chad Ochocinco came to the team and he's a great player,"Hernandez said. "I had a chance to get my college number back andhe obviously wanted number 85. There wasn't a problem. He deservedit, so I thought he should get it."

Hernandez, who is coming back from a hip injury, did some workfor the first time Saturday.

"Just taking it slow, making sure I'm healthy because of thelockout," he said. "They weren't keeping an eye on me. They reallydidn't know where I was at, but I feel good. I'm ready to go."

A touch of class

After being released by the Patriots, veteran defensive linemanTy Warren left with class, saying how he appreciated his time inNew England. Warren also said that he could understand, at least inpart, because as he called it, the team "is going in a differentdirection defensively."

In the first full pad practice, it was interesting to note thatthe Pats spent a lot of time in a 4-3 defense, rather than theirusual 3-4.

New acquisition Albert Haynesworth had problems with Washington,largely because he had his success in Tennessee in a 4-3 defenseand the Redskins used a 3-4. Apparently, he will get to play somein the 4-3 when he joins the team. He was not able to practiceSaturday because, Belichick reported, he still has things he has todo. There was an internet report that the reason Haynesworth couldnot practice was because he failed the conditioning test.

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